Question 1

Is Jacksonville or New Orleans cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $412/month less than in Jacksonville, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,658/mo in Jacksonville versus $1,331/mo in New Orleans.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Jacksonville vs New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $71,500/year before tax in Jacksonville, FL and $65,500/year in New Orleans, LA — a difference of about $6,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Jacksonville or New Orleans cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,647/month in Jacksonville and $6,743/month in New Orleans, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Jacksonville or New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. New Orleans costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Jacksonville64	New Orleans53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,078	$3,666
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,647	$6,743
Salary for comfort	$71,500/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,658	$1,331
Median home value	$266,100	$296,400
Median household income	$66,981	$55,339
Unemployment	4.7%	4.8%
Housing score	55	38
Jobs score	26	44
Safety score	65	3
Climate score	100	90
Amenities score	41	52
Population	961.7K	376K
Summer high / winter low	91° / 45°	92° / 44°

Jacksonville, FL vs New Orleans, LA